Why the Hunt for Rare Variants in Classic Coins Is Inspiring the Next Wave of Automotive Software Design

Your car isn’t just a machine anymore. It’s a rolling computer—loaded with sensors, code, and connections that shape every drive. But here’s what most people don’t realize: the future of automotive software might just be inspired by something far older than microchips: **rare coin collecting**. Yes, really.

The Art of the Cherrypick: A Lesson in Observability for Automotive Software Engineers

Ever seen a coin collector squint at a 1937 Washington Quarter under a magnifying glass? They’re not just admiring it—they’re hunting for the doubling that marks the DDO (FS-101) variant. One tiny flaw, one subtle doubling, and that quarter jumps from $5 to $1,000.

That same obsession with detail? It’s exactly what automotive engineers need when building connected cars. One misplaced character in code can crash your infotainment. A single CAN bus delay can delay airbag deployment. Precision isn’t optional—it’s survival.

Today’s vehicles run on dozens of ECUs (Electronic Control Units), all chatting over the CAN bus like a high-stakes chatroom. Sensors feed data. Infotainment streams music. Navigation talks to the cloud. But beneath the surface, tiny bugs lurk—like die cracks on a rare coin—easy to miss, devastating if ignored.

Lessons from Coin Collecting: The Need for Meticulous Code Reviews

Coin collectors don’t trust their first glance. They measure, compare, and verify. You should too. Here’s how I’ve brought that collector’s mindset to automotive software:

• Peer Reviews: Two engineers are better than one. That rare bug hiding in the CAN parser? A teammate will spot it when you’re too close to the code.
• Test-Driven Development (TDD): Write tests before code—like grading a coin under UV light. If it doesn’t pass, it doesn’t ship.

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• Static Code Analysis: Tools like SonarQube and Coverity act like high-powered loupes—scanning for vulnerabilities before they turn into recalls.

Software Defined Vehicles (SDVs) and the Role of Embedded Systems

We’re in the age of Software Defined Vehicles (SDVs). Your car updates itself overnight. Your seat remembers your posture. Your stereo learns your playlist. But just like a rare coin’s value lies in its story—where it’s been, who owned it, how it was preserved—your code has a story too.

Every function in an SDV—from adaptive cruise control to climate settings—needs a clear history. Who wrote it? When? Was it tested in real driving conditions? Traceability isn’t bureaucracy. It’s craftsmanship.

Embedded Systems: The Hidden Gems in Your Vehicle

Most drivers never see embedded systems. But they’re the quiet heroes—like the ungraded 1913 Liberty Head nickel in a dusty box. Overlooked, until someone realizes it’s worth millions.

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• Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS): Use FreeRTOS or QNX for functions that can’t afford delays—brakes, steering, engine control. No lag. No second chances.

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• Memory Management: Rare coins go in acid-free flips. Your embedded code needs clean, efficient memory allocation—or it crashes under stress.
• Hardware Abstraction Layers (HALs): Write software that works across models. One update, many cars. Like cataloging a coin collection in a universal database.

Here’s how you might listen to real-time vehicle data on the CAN bus—like spotting a rare transmission pattern:

// CAN Bus Listener Example (Pseudocode)
void setup() {
  can.begin();
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  CAN_message_t msg;
  if (can.read(msg)) {
    Serial.print("Received CAN ID: ");
    Serial.println(msg.id, HEX);
    Serial.print("Data: ");
    for (int i = 0; i < msg.len; i++) {
      Serial.print(msg.buf[i], HEX);
      Serial.print(" ");
    }
    Serial.println();
  }
}

Connected Cars and the IoT Ecosystem

Your car is an IoT device with wheels. It knows where you’ve been, how fast you drove, even if you skipped the seatbelt. That data? It’s like the provenance of a coin—its history, its authenticity, its truth.

But data without integrity is just noise. A coin with fake doubling is worthless. A spoofed CAN message can cause real harm.

Secure Data Flow: From CAN Bus to the Cloud

Protect data like a collector protects their rarest piece. Here’s how:

• Data Signing: Sign every message. No unsigned data enters the system—like rejecting a coin without a certified grade.

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• Edge Processing: Use TensorFlow Lite or ONNX Runtime to filter data in the car. Less cloud traffic, faster response.
• Secure OTA Updates: Every over-the-air update must be signed and checksummed. No backdoor patches. No mysterious files.

Here’s how you verify an OTA update—like checking a coin’s mint mark:

// Secure OTA Update Validation (Pseudocode)
if (verifySignature(updatePackage, publicKey)) {
  if (validateChecksum(updatePackage, expectedChecksum)) {
    applyUpdate(updatePackage);
    logUpdate("Update applied successfully.");
  } else {
    logUpdate("Checksum mismatch. Update rejected.");
  }
} else {
  logUpdate("Invalid signature. Update rejected.");
}

Infotainment Systems: The New Dashboard of the Digital Age

Your infotainment screen is the first thing drivers see. Like the obverse of a rare coin—designed to impress, engineered to last. But it’s also where distractions lurk.

Building for Responsiveness and Safety

Speed matters. But so does safety. A splashy UI means nothing if it crashes when you need navigation most.

• Modular Architecture: Use Android Automotive OS or similar microservices. If radio fails, navigation keeps running.
• User-Centric Design: Buttons big enough to tap while driving. Menus that don’t hide critical info. Like a well-struck coin—clear, balanced, intentional.
• Cross-Platform Support: Support Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and web apps. Not everyone uses the same phone—and that’s okay.

Actionable Takeaways: Applying the ‘Cherrypick’ Mindset to Automotive Software

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• Be Meticulous: Treat every line of code like a coin under glass. Zoom in. Look closer.

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• Document Everything: No ghost commits. No “I’ll fix it later.” Every change has a reason.

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• Value the Rare Finds: That obscure sensor driver? That legacy ECU? They’re your hidden performance gold.
• Stay Curious: Revisit old code. You might find a bug—or a breakthrough.
• Secure by Design: From CAN bus to cloud, assume threats exist. Build trust at every layer.

Conclusion

Finding a rare coin isn’t luck. It’s patience. It’s knowing what to look for. It’s caring about the details most people ignore.

The same goes for automotive software. The 1937 Washington Quarter DDO (FS-101) taught collectors this: **rarity isn’t in the face value. It’s in the flaw, the mark, the story.**

Your code has that story too. Every function. Every firmware update. Every secure OTA patch. They’re not just lines—they’re artifacts of a system that’s smarter, safer, and more connected than ever.

So look closer. Hunt for the rare. And when you find it—celebrate it. Because in the world of **automotive software**, the rarest line of code might just be the one that changes everything.

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